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Gracious Lord, our children see Prayer for children

William Cowper printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book II, no. 12, under Exodus 10:9.

WRITTEN BY

William Cowper 1731–1800

PRINTED

1779 Olney Hymns · no. 12

METRE

7.7.7.7 3 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Exodus 10:9 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 3 stanzas as Cowper printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

AMONG THE SCRIPTURES

The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.

a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here

STANZA I

Gracious Lord, our children see

Gracious Lord, our children see,

By thy mercy we are free;

But shall these, alas! remain

Subjects still of Satan’s reign?

Israel’s young ones, when of old

Pharaoh threatened to withhold;

Then thy messenger said, “No;

Let the children also go.”

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

Where Cowper found it

Cowper printed the hymn under Exodus 10:9. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

“We will go with our young and old,” Moses replied. “We will go with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” EXODUS 10:9 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ EXODUS 10

Gracious Lord, our children see, By thy mercy we are free; But shall these, alas! remain Subjects still of Satan’s reign? Israel’s young ones, when of old Pharaoh threatened to withhold; Then thy messenger said, “No; Let the children also go.” STANZA I

Its place in the book

Book II of the hymn book, “On occasional subjects”, holds these hymns in this order: 100 hymns. This is number 12. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 12 · WILLIAM COWPER · THIS HYMN Gracious Lord, our children see

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